Support for pilot lamps



. Zhwemor: Edward 6. Rows; Jr.

a EIIIEI- March 29, 1949. E. c. Ross, JR

SUPPORT FOR PILOT LAMPS Fil ed Aug. 30, 1947 Patented Mar. 29, 1949 Edward 0. Ross, Jr., Camden, N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application August 30, 1947, Serial No. 771,511

This invention relates to pilot lamp installa- Radio sets and other cabinet type electrical installations are commonly provided with a telltale indicator which remains lit so long as the power is on. One simple form of indicator comprises a jewel-shaped glass or bulls-eye, which is seated in an aperture in the front panel of the set and a pilot lamp secured to the rear surface of the said panel in register with the jewel. Conventionally, the mount for the pilot lamp comprises, a socket for the lamp, a spring clip for the socket, a bracket for the clip and one or more screws, or the like, for aflixing the bracket to the panel. Installations of this type are objectionable because of the multiplicity of parts involved, and the relatively high cost of attaching the bracket to the panel in the exact position required to align the lamp with respect to the aperture in which the jewel is seated.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to obviate the foregoing and other less apparent objections to present day bulls-eye indicators and to provide an improved illuminable indicator including a pilot lamp socket-assembly which may be installed and aligned with respect to the jewel of the indicator without the use of tools.

Another and related object of the invention is to provide an improved socket-assembly for pilot lamps, and one characterized by its simplicity and economy of its parts and by the ease and rapidity with which it may be attached to, and

detached from, a wooden or similar panel, even by an unskilled person.

Certain preferred details of construction will be apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following specification and to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is an end view of a pilot lamp and socket assembly constructed in accordance with the principle of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in section of a bull eye indicator showing the manner in which the socket assembly and pilot lamp is mounted and aligned with respect to the bulls-eye indicator and,

Fig. 5 is a View partly in section showing the indicator of Fig. 3 with the socket and lamp in position.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate the same parts in all figures, I

6 Claims. (Cl. 177-329) designates a pilot lamp which, in the instant case is provided with a metal base 2 having a bayonet pin 3 thereon and 4 is a bayonet type socketfor the lamp. A light shield in the form of an opaque sleeve 5,which may be made of cardboard or the like surrounds the socket 4 and the base 3 of the lamp and, preferably, a portion of the inner end of the bulb of the lamp I. The socket is aflixed as by means of an insulating grommet 6 to the base 1a of a U-shape holder 7 having upstanding arms lb, 10 which are substantially coextensive in length with the overall length of the socket and lamp.

The arms 1b and 1c are constituted of spring metal, and terminate in a pair of oppositely located, outwardly extending, sharply pointed spurs or prongs p and p capable of piercing wood or other non-metallic cabinet material. As shown more clearly in Fig. 1 these spring-metal arms lb and 10 are normally biased in the outward direction. Thus, when the said arms are compressed against the force of their bias, as shown in Fig. 4 the energy thus acquired will serve to drive the prongs radially outwardly, when the compression force is released, as shown in Fig. 5.

As previously indicated, the advantages of the pilot lamp assembly or holder of the present invention reside not only in the fact that it dispenses with attaching screws and the like but also in the fact that it is virtually self-centering" when applied to the panel aperture of a bullseye indicator. This will be apparent upon inspection of Figs. 4 and 5. Here the ring in which holds the jewel II is fitted in a counter-bored aperture 12 in a wooden panel l3. Thus, in entering the pronged ends of the flexible arms 1b and 1c into the aperture the operator is advised by his sense of touch when the front surface of the prongs p, p of the holder encounter the inner surface of the ring or the shoulder I28 of the counterbore.

It will now be apparent that the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive and troublefree socket assembly for pilot lamps, and one which may be installed and aligned upon a wooden or similar panel without the use of tools.

What is claimed is:

l. A tell-tale indicator comprising, a panel having an aperture therein, a bull's-eye seated in said aperture, a lamp socket comprising a plurality of spring fingers terminating in outwardly extending prongs, said prongs being imbedded by the spring action of said fingers in the panel 3 material which forms the inner surface of said aperture.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 and wherein means are provided within said aperture for locating said prongs with respect to said bull's-eye upon entering said spring fingers within said aperture. I v

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 and wherein said prong-locating means comprises the shoulder of a counter-bore.

4. The invention as set forth in .claim 1 and wherein an opaque sleeve about said socket surrounds said socket in thespace between the upstanding arms of said spring fingers and serves to confine the light from said lamp to the region of said aperture. V I 5. A support for the pilot lamp of a bull's-eye indicator of the type wherein the jewel of the indicator is seated in a panel aperture and the lamp is aligned with respect to saidbulls-eye, said pilot-lamp support comprising a U-shape member, a socket for said lamp mounted within the U, the upstanding arms of said U shape member being constituted of spring metal and terminatlng in outwardly extending oppositely 10 cated prongs having sharp points adapted to penetrate the panel material surrounding the interior of said aperture.

6. A support for a pilot lamp comprising, a socket for said lamp, a. base to which said socket is attached, a pair of spring-fingers on said base on opposite sides of said socket and extending therebeyond, and sharply pointed prongs extending outwardly from the free ends of said fingers in a direction substantially normal to the direc tion of extension of said fingers.

EDWARD C. ROSS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED "The. following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,167,270 Woodward July 25, 1939 2,215,260 Woodward Sept. 17, 1940 2,239,451 Stearns Apr. 22, 1941 

